


The Stars Are Confused

by Ozymanreis



Series: Tumblr Drabbles [12]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Constellations, Fluff, Gemini - Freeform, Greek myth - Freeform, M/M, Romance, Sherlock's issues with the solar system, Soulmates, Stars, tiniest bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-28
Updated: 2014-05-28
Packaged: 2018-01-26 23:25:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1706381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ozymanreis/pseuds/Ozymanreis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Your note! I can't seem to work it out." He waves the thick card stock around exasperatedly, "It's just dots."</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Stars Are Confused

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #34: Stars
> 
> This work now has [fanart](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1728737) by the lovely look_turtles :)

Barging into Moriarty's flat, Sherlock has a purpose. His entrance is somewhat less dramatized than he'd like, seeing as Jim wasn't sitting in the living room to witness his initial outburst. Poking his way through the rest of the apartment, he finds Jim in the office, seated behind his decoratively carved wooden desk.

"What am I supposed to make of this?" Sherlock asks, brandishing a notecard in Jim's face, ignoring the concentrated look he had been giving his laptop.

"Valentine's day was yesterday." Moriarty says matter-of-factly, not _at all_ annoyed that Sherlock interrupted him while planning a new heist, "Didn't you get the flowers I sent with it?"

"Those aren't nearly as important as this code."

"What code?" Jim acts bored as he types up a few emails. 

"Your note! I can't seem to work it out." He waves the thick card stock around exasperatedly, "It's just _dots_." 

"Actually, Galileo, that's the constellation _Gemini_." Moriarty finally looks up, mildly amused, _I suppose the doctor does make a few_ genuine _observations… I'll need to read that blog more._

"The what?" The detective states blankly. 

"Constellation? You know… configurations of stars in the sky?"

"Yes, yes, I know of _that_ inane practice. What of… Gemini?"

"Oh there's this whole myth about it. Funny people, the ancient Greeks."

"I think Mycroft read me _The Illiad_ once when we were boys."

"Well that's a start." Jim shuts his laptop, figuring Sherlock would be there for a while. 

"Obviously you _want_ to tell me the significance." 

"I suppose a story is warranted." Jim sighs, "Otherwise, my clever reference _might as well_ _be_ meaningless spots." 

"Go on, but please spare me the poorly executed green screen effects, _Richard_."

Jim rolls his eyes, but proceeds, "The condensed version is that there were two boys, half-brothers. Castor was an ordinary human. The other brother, Pollux, was a demigod. Yet, despite their inherent difference, they were inseparable, and loved each other more than anything in the world. 

But alas, the human one died. So Pollux appealed to his father, the mighty Zeus. In some versions, Pollux asks to share his immortality. In others, he asks to die with his brother. In either tale, Zeus forever joins them into the constellation Gemini, the twins."

"Which is it you were implying, then?" Sherlock asks, unsure of whether or not to be touched, "Being together forever, or dying together?"

"I don't see much of a difference." Jim stands up and gently plays with the detective's curls, lost in a memory, "Sometimes dying is a far kinder gift than the grueling task of living. Especially if the one person that's worth anything disappeared."

"I'd agree to that, but I'm afraid of what you might do… _again_." 

"Oh, forget about my failed mutual suicide pact. That's in the past. Besides, I also meant to imply that we are star-crossed lovers."

"What?" Sherlock looks almost offended. 

"Oh, just because you don't understand a reference doesn't mean you should glare, my love." Jim entwines their fingers, "It's silly; basically means we're soul mates." 

"Ah." Sherlock bites his lip, "How so?"

Childishly, Jim enjoys being able to teach things to the detective, _means that I'm still a mystery to him. Keeps him from getting bored,_ "Back when _fate_ and astrology were hard sciences, people who were born under the 'same stars' were destined to be together." Jim takes a moment to enjoy the horror on Sherlock's face. 

"People _actually_ believed that?" He scoffs, "For as little as I know about the universe, I know flaming balls of hydrogen don't exactly _care_ what we do." 

"Most certainly, my dear." Moriarty beams, "But it was so common, that there's still a saying based on the idea: _the stars are right_."

"In our case, I'd say the stars are _confused_ , bordering on _sadistic_."

"The curse of being us — only being able to love what _should_ be unobtainable —it's something we can't escape, my Pollux."

"Here I thought you were the immortal one." 

"Unfortunately, I know I'll be the first to die. And that you will be the one to suffer alone in the aftermath, and not know what to do with yourself." Jim says it smugly, but he's actually afraid of how true it is. So is Sherlock. They let the moment hang, just holding each other. 

"Now," Moriarty tugs Sherlock toward the door, "I believe I owe you a late Valentine's date."

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if there's anything I can add to this, but I really like this idea. I might add on to it/make a sequel/run off with this thought and have its children... let me know what you think!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [The Stars Are Confused ( Fanart)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1728737) by [look_turtles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/look_turtles/pseuds/look_turtles)




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